answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Photons create electrons in two senses. In the first sense, they don't really create electrons but eject them: from a surface in the photo-electric effect or from atoms or molecules in photo-ionization. Observing the photo-electric effect was a key part of discovering quantum mechanics.

In the second sense, an electron is created together with its anti-particle, a positron, when the photon collides with another particle. Particle-antiparticle creation requires a lot more energy than "photo-ejection". This is conversion of energy into matter, in this case matter with a rest mass of just over a million electronvolts (in mass-equivalent units according to Einstein's E=mc^2). So the photon (and target particle) need to have kinetic energy of that amount for electron-positron pairs to be created.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

AnswerBot

6mo ago

Photons can create electrons through the photoelectric effect, where photons transfer their energy to electrons in a material, causing them to be emitted. When a photon strikes the surface of a material, it can transfer enough energy to an electron to overcome the binding energy of the electron to the material, leading to the release of the electron.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: How do photons create electrons?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Physics
Related questions

Do photons conduct electricity?

No. Electricity is the movement of electrons, and photons have no electrons to move. Photons are the gauge particles for the electromagnetic force, but that's a different concept.


What is formed by the movement of electrons?

Electricity is formed by the movement of electrons. When electrons flow through a conductor, they create an electric current that can be harnessed and used to power electrical devices.


Which subatomic particle of the atom in a molecule interacts with photons?

Electrons are the subatomic particles in an atom that interact with photons. When photons interact with electrons, they can be absorbed, emitted, or scattered, leading to various chemical and physical processes in a molecule.


How do electrons gain in energy in photosystem 1?

they absorb photons from sunlight


Why electrons are used for the excitation in the argon ion lasers though light travels faster than the electron?

High energy electrons are much easier to create than high energy photons.


Which three subatomic particles are the lightest?

The three lightest subatomic particles are electrons, neutrinos, and photons. Electrons and neutrinos have very small masses, while photons are massless.


What are the steps when a rod is excited by photons of light?

When a rod is excited by photons of light, the photons are absorbed by the atoms in the rod, causing the electrons in the atoms to jump to higher energy levels. This results in the electrons becoming excited. As the excited electrons return to their lower energy states, they emit photons of light at specific wavelengths, a process known as fluorescence or luminescence.


Light microscopes use beams of electrons to produce magnified images?

No, a light microscope uses focused light (photons) to produce a magnified image. An electron microscope uses beams of electrons to create a magnified image.


What is the difference between photons and electrons?

Photons have no charge, no rest mass and travel at the speed of light throuh a vacuum. Electrons have a charge of -1, have rest mass and are part of atoms.


What is the Difference between electrons and photons?

Photons have no charge, no rest mass and travel at the speed of light throuh a vacuum. Electrons have a charge of -1, have rest mass and are part of atoms.


Are electrons moving through space light?

No; light is photons.


Where do electrons get their energy from light reactions?

From the photons is solar energy.